The Health and Wellness Center includes renovation of the Old Physical Educational (OPE) building and an addition of nearly 80,000 square feet of academic, recreational and athletic space. The recreation portion is 45,000 square feet, comprising a two-court gymnasium with elevated track, two racquetball courts, three multipurpose rooms, a 6,000 square foot strength, cardiovascular and weight training area, a 40 foot high by 40 feet wide rock climbing wall, new locker rooms and upgrades to the existing pool and gymnasium, an equipment check-out area and office space for the Campus Recreation Department.

There will be 25,000 square feet in new academic space that includes 12 classrooms as a part of this project. New spaces will include a multipurpose room, three tiered classrooms, a kinesiology lab, four standard classrooms, and several general purpose classrooms. The football program will have approximately 8,000 square feet in new space for locker rooms, coaches´ offices and equipment storage.

LEED certification: sustainability

By pursuing LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, the Western Oregon University Health and Wellness Center employs numerous sustainable features, from the management of storm water runoff to the use of natural ventilation in the building.

As part of the overall project, the existing OPE building will have improved exterior thermal performance, an introduction of high performance chilled beams and new lighting throughout. The Aquatic Center is being renovated with new pool equipment and the introduction of a heat recovery unit that extracts energy off the exhaust air and preheating the fresh air intake.
Storm water runoff on the site will be reduced by installing bioswales and detention planters around the building. Low flow faucets and showerheads, as well as dual-flush toilets reduce water consumption in the building by at least 40 percent.

An integrated building design utilizing a highly efficient building envelope, and a combination of displacement ventilation and natural ventilation, will yield more than 20 percent energy efficiency over code. A heat recovery chiller will utilize waste heat generated from space cooling to help heat the swimming pool. Extensive daylight and automatic window shading are also employed throughout the building to maximize solar heat gain, and increase user comfort.